Externalities, NIMBY syndrome and marble quarrying activity

Abstract

Marble quarries like any other mining project are faced with NIMBY (‘not-in-my-backyard’) reactions, since some negative externalities are inevitable. The paper presents a contingent valuation survey aimed at investigating a local community's willingness to accept (WTA) compensation for allowing the establishment and operation of a marble quarry in its surroundings and exploring the determinants influencing NIMBY reactions against marble quarrying activity. The valuation scenario used involves an annual monetary payment to a community fund in order to be more realistic and to lessen the so-called ‘bribe effect’, which is common in compensation schemes.